Test riders - Long Haulers

Long haulers know how to abuse bicycles. Most long haulers are massive, muscular men that load their bikes down with 150-200kg worth of cargo. The loaded down bikes are then ridden and pushed up to 100km on remote roads, or trails, littered with potholes and ruts and hours away from the nearest bike mechanic. These riders carry bags of maize or potatoes to markets, cement to construction sites, freshly cut firewood from the bush to town, etc. Long haulers generally earn a $1 more per day than boda boda as not everyone is physically capable of carrying such large loads long distances. However, flat tires may be even more devastating to long haulers than boda boda. A flat tire in the bush means unloading cargo and pushing their bike miles to the closest mechanic. Despite hiding the cargo in the bushes, it is not uncommon for it to be stolen by the time the long hauler returns. This group is ecstatic about the milele tube and we have received great feedback from them. Charles, one of our test riders who ferries wood roughly 50km each day estimates that he earns an extra $1.25 (moving him from 250 to 350 shillings) each day he rides milele tubes.